


Jack-O-Lanterns

by belivaird_st



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Autumn, Carvings, F/F, Halloween, Nighttime, October, Pumpkins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 06:53:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16279769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belivaird_st/pseuds/belivaird_st
Summary: Therese tries not to fall asleep while Carol carves out some pumpkins.





	Jack-O-Lanterns

Manhattan, New York  
Madison Avenue, The Apartment  
_October 1953_

**xxxx**

Therese yawned and lowered her head down below crossed arms while watching Carol carve out their third and last pumpkin to put on the front step. She was cutting one of the triangular eyes Therese had marked with a black permanent pen. Carol had more energy doing the traditional holiday project tonight. Therese, not so much. It was almost 10:30 and she was so tired, she was falling asleep. She had to get up early tomorrow to be at work around 7:30 in the morning. 

“Darling, go to bed,” Carol said now, eyeing Therese over the pumpkin, wearily. “I can finish this all by myself.”

“You sure?” Therese mumbled, lifting her head up. 

“Yes,” Carol said. “Go on. Goodnight. I’ll be up with you shortly.”

“No. I want to see them glowing, first,” Therese replied with another yawn. 

Carol smiled and went back to one crooked corner of a mouth she was carving out. She still had to remove all the pulp from inside of the fruit and then slide in all the seeds into the oven on a cookie sheet tray. Therese could feel her eyes start to water and burn from keeping them open. She pulled out a tissue from her dress pocket and pressed it up against her red nose. 

“You’ve had it for the day. You're done,” Carol told her, digging the kitchen knife into the pumpkin before dragging it slowly along the black marker. “Go upstairs and get some rest.”

“Not yet,” Therese said. 

Carol spoke no more and quietly finished carving out the mouth. She dropped the knife and pulled out the stem of the pumpkin. Leaning over the table with her sleeves rolled back, she began to pull out the clumps of pumpkin seeds and slimy pulp. She playfully had put some on top of Therese’s bare forearm, making her flinch and back away. 

“Cold?” Carol laughed.

“Gross,” Therese smirked. She brushed the wet, gooey mess off her arm before rising up to her feet to help Carol remove the rest of it out.

When they were finished, Therese helped Carol spread some pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet covered tray to put into the oven. Carol had turned the knob to the correct temperature before grabbing the matches and candles. Therese watched her strike a match and place all three candles inside all three pumpkins. 

“Help me carry them outside,” she said.

“Let me grab my camera,” Therese said.

They carried the glowing jack-o-lanterns outside to set them down on the front step next to the yellow-red colored mums. Therese held up her camera and took a few pictures. Carol stood beside her with her arms crossed, shivering.

“I want you in the picture, my dear,” Therese spoke now with a sleepy grin.

Carol chuckled and moved towards the front of the apartment. She stood in front of the door on the welcome mat between the glowing pumpkins and the fall flowers. Smiling, she held her posture tall and strong, letting Therese click away. Then after a few shots, she did some seductive poses and had even stuck her tongue out.

Therese giggled and kept clicking away on the camera. When she and Carol were cold enough, they were all done with their small photoshoot and headed back inside.

**xxxx**


End file.
